East Haddam, CT – June 24, 1949

On June 24, 1949, an F-47N aircraft (Ser. No. 44-89432) belonging to the Connecticut Air National Guard crashed in the Hadlyme section of East Haddam while on a training flight. Witnesses reported the plane to be trailing dark smoke as it went down. The pilot, 2nd Lt. Robert S. Leighton, 25, of Portland, Maine, was killed.

This accident was the third fatality involving a Connecticut Air Guard F-47 in two years, prompting Major General Frederick G. Reincke to ground all F-47’s belonging to the Connecticut National Guard until further notice.

Sources:

The New Era, (Deep River Ct.) “F-47’s Grounded Following Crash”, June 30, 1049, Pg. 4